dmencaroni

just a quick one to wish an happy Easter to all of you and your families!

D

Hi Aussie!

just wanted to give you quick update on my situation. I had the medical exam and interview at the US Consulate in Naples (Italy) on April 3/4 and was granted the Visa (199 days from initial filing)

Wish all the other VJers good luck!

D

We shall prevail!!!

FORZA AZZURRI!!!

Thanks K and N!

I feel much better now...I can plan job hunting and future visits for interviews in the US now...that's so important for me and it was driving me crazy. I'm moving to the US on May 16...then me and Ula will have the church wedding on May 27...then honeymoon and reception in Florence with my Italian friends and family members (only a few of them will be able to afford a trip to NY in May).

Hey Alex!! Punch us a line and show us your beautiful son once again!!!

Wish all of you a wonderful w/e.

D

Ciao a tutti,

so I got back from Naples with a virus and high fever but at least I completed this nightmare of a journey. The two days at the consulate were the easiest part of the deal. I would like to thank all of you (esp K for her precious pm) for sharing your experiences and good advice. Anyway, here is my brief summary of what happened in Naples:

1st day medical

I had appointment at 8.15 so I thought of getting there a little earlier (I stayed at a B&B nearby the Consulate...not the cheapest, 90 euros, but very practical, clean and nice). I arrived there before 8 and found a line of people waiting to get in. Finally, after 30 min, we were allowed to get into the building to wait for the medical. Thank to Alex's advices I brought with me all my vaccinations records and a recent blood work showing the anticorps as well as HIV test....this saved me from shots but not from another blood work for HIV test...when I asked the doc why they relied on Italian blood work results for the anticorps but not for the HIV test he answered that that was a mandatory US test. All in all everything went by smoothly and I was able to leave before noon....needless to say people weren't called in for the medical exam with any order...

2nd day interview

Remembering what happened the first day I took it easy and walked to the Consulate at 8.20ish...I had to wait 3 or so hours for a 5 min interview...I was asked date of birth (mine and my wife's), job (mine and my wife's), how my wife became US citizen (she was born in Poland), if we had a big wedding or a small one and what I wanted to do in the US....that's it. I had to return to the Consulate in the afternoon to pick up passport and package.

That's all for the moment...now I'm going to grade the Consulate in the proper section and it won't be a good grade at all.

After more than 2 months that the Consulate received the case from NVC and after knowing that I was scheduled for a first interview on March 7 (too bad I never received the appointment letter) I've been rescheduled for April 3.

Thank you for updating my info!

Well, you won't believe this.

I called again the consulate and with my huge surprise I was transferred to the Visa office...I was even more surprised, but maybe better shocked, to hear that my interview and medical were scheduled for March 7/8 and that they've sent me a letter on Feb 22. Needless to say I never received such letter and indeed I requested them 3 times before to send me everything by email. I was rescheduled for April 3/4...

Thanx Bree for the phone # it helped a bit to get through the offices...I'm just very mad b/c I could have completed everything by now...

Again best wishes to Alex, Eric and wonderful Sean!

Welcome Sean

He's a pisces so he'll be an handsome and smart boy...just like all other pisces...like me! ahahaha!

BTW: A&E my most sincere contratulations on your wonderful baby! He really looks so calm in the picture! I'm sorry about the delivery but I'm sure the joy of your son is the most effective painkiller you need.

Are you guys hanging the blue ribbon at the house door like we do here in Italy?!?!

Would speaking with someone in the consular's office help? I think there's an option to do that in the menu prompts??

Hi K!

nice pic! I'm sure you had great time in J!

BTW I did select to talk to someone at the menu and the person who answered told me that he couldn't let me talk to anyone of the IV division and all I could do is send more emails and faxes...do you guys know if there's anything more than calling the damn' consulate that I could do to put pressure on them?

Ciao a tutti!

It was a while I didn't post but after I came back in Milan I had to work really hard...

Alex: again best wishes and hope to hear very good news from you soon!!!

Paola: (belated) welcome to the club...it seems I'm the only Italian man writing on this thread so far...so I wish all the ladies a belated happy women's day!!

Kaalyx: how are things going?!?! Hope all is great...must admit I'm a bit jealous

Bree: your Italian seems quite good! need just to tune it a bit!

About me: the Consulate is driving me nuts! It's 2 months now that NVC has informed me that my case was forwarded to Naples. I called them (the regular number), faxed, emailed but nothing...just once an Italian guy told me that they did have my case and to write them an email in order to schedule the interview asap. Well I wrote them 2 weeks ago and heard nothing yet!!! Yesterday I called again...I was so mad...the same guy answered and I gave him a piece of my mind...he said he understood but he could do nothing...he replied I'd keep writing emails or faxes!!! So I did and will do the same on a weekly basis...I'm so frustrated also b/c I'm losing potential job interviews as it's advised to avoid travelling in the US while the case is still pending...

Ok, got to go back now.

Ciao,

D

Congrats to Antonio and Kaalyx Now the best part comes, reunion!!!! I must confess I'm a bit lost since Naples is still bouncing me off...I feel a bit depressed I've sent them other emails and a very "hard but polite" fax and had no answer...they would not put me through the IV office when I call...maybe they hear my italian accent....my wife keeps telling me to be patient but i'm not...

Thanx to K and Alex for the congrats....can't wait for this last "pain" to be over...

Hope the rest of the crowd is well and send you a big ciao!

Daniel

OMG! K I'm sorry I messed up names! I was and still am so tired and my brain is so spaced out about the exam that I'm doing so many silly things lately!!

I'll write more tomorrow as now I want to hit the sack!

Ciao!

Hi all!!

First of all let me wish good luck to Stefano for his medical exam and interview, I always read on this forum that this is the easiest part of the whole deal so he'll do just fine!!

Secondly, I extend my warmest wishes to Alex and Ace! Can't wait to see little Sean pictures! Hey Ace let us know how the marathon went!

It's so nice to hear you've a new puppy Akwalta! I love dogs so much and so does my wife....the past week however we both suffered since her dog passed away. He was 17 and had heart failure On the other side, last Friday I passed the Italian bar exam....so I'm (hopefully) over with studying so damn' hard for this crazy test....the "stressest" (made up word I guess) exam I've ever faced...

It goes w/o saying that I didn't hear from Naples yet....but now that I'm over with books I'll just "bomb" them with calls and faxes.

As for being in the delivery room with my wife...mhmhm....I would want to be there with her but only if she felt comfortable and ok...otherwise I'll stick to what she wants since it's a very delicate and important moment!!!

Have a nice w/e!

D

Hi Kaalyx!

Well this forum crash really sucked!

Anyway, I didn't have luck with the Consulate so I called the other number you provided...it was cheaper to call the US than Naples anyway. I was told that my case wasn't in their system yet although they'd have received by now (it was sent out on the 11th). What really shocked me is that the operator told me that it can take up to 4 months to have the interview (!!!!) I'll keep calling them next week and will keep you posted!

I went to law school in the US (LL.M.) + passed the NY bar exam so I hope this will give me some chance to find a job w/o the need to asses my Italian degree or go back to school....it's tough but since the economy is slowly getting better I'm hopeful.

Ciao a tutti and have a nice weekend.

D